Obama says he expects Congress will raise debt cap

In this photo taken Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, President Barack Obama smiles during an exclusive interview with The Associated Press in the White House library in Washington, four days into a partial shutdown of the federal government that has forced 800,000 people off the job, closed national parks and curbed many government services. The deadline for keeping the government open coincided with the Oct. 1 start of sign-ups for the insurance markets at the center of the health care overhaul Obama signed into law during his first term. Government websites struggled in the first week to keep up with high demand for the new marketplaces. It's not clear that more than a few managed to enroll the first day. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

He says he's willing to negotiate changes to his signature health care law and to find ways to reduce spending, but stresses he will not bargain until after Congress reopens the government and passed a new debt ceiling.

Obama says there's a majority of lawmakers in the House who would vote to end the partial government shutdown and raise the credit limit without conditions.

Obama spoke during an interview with The Associated Press.

The government is expected to hits its $16.7 trillion debt ceiling in mid-October.

Failure to raise that limit could lead to a first-ever default. Republicans want cuts in federal benefit programs and future deficits in exchange for their votes.